Want to save money on groceries? Don't go to the store hungry, avoid shopping on weekends and 10 other tips to try.

Food prices have spiked 31% since 2019, thanks to avian flu outbreaks, extreme weather and supply chain disruptions. The cost of staples such as eggs, coffee and meat has skyrocketed, with some states having it worse than others (sorry, Hawaii). But you don’t need us to tell you that; no doubt you’ve been experiencing it yourself at the grocery store. To help take the strain off your wallet during your regular supermarket runs, we’ve compiled a list of money-saving tips.

1. The 6-to-1 method

Created by American chef Will Coleman, the 6-to-1 method is designed to prioritize efficiency and minimize food waste. Coleman breaks it down like this: "You grab six veggies, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads and one fun thing for yourself.” And you can adapt it based on your individual needs. “Some days you may need five proteins compared to four proteins, but that's way better than buying 10 proteins that you're probably never going to use,” Coleman explains. “It's just a way to get people on track, saving money and having more fun cooking.”

2. The 5-4-3-2-1 method

This method eliminates the “one fun thing” in Coleman’s 6-to-1 method — but on the plus side, that’s one less thing you’re splurging on. You pick five vegetables, four fruits, three proteins, two sauces or spreads and one grain. Like the other number methods, this doesn’t take into account other items that need to be replenished regularly, such as milk, eggs, cooking oil or coffee. But with the cost of eggs currently skyrocketing, maybe it’s not such a bad thing to take them out of rotation once in a while.

3. The 3-3-2-2-1 method

Another “golden ratio” to consider, TikTok creator and registered dietitian Steph Grasso explains that the 3-3-2-2-1-1 method means buying three vegetables, three protein sources, two grains, two fruits and one dip or spread. One writer who tried the grocery hack firsthand says, “It did feel a little limiting in terms of not buying lots of ingredients, like herbs or onions that I like to use for cooking or other staples, but of course, it’s a flexible plan that you could add to or subtract from as needed.”

4. Eat foods that are in season

Fruits and vegetables in season where you live tend to be cheaper because they don’t need to be shipped from far away and are typically more abundant than out-of-season produce. Check out this guide to what’s in season this month.

5. Buy in bulk

If it’s an item you know you’ll use, if you have the storage space and if the unit price is less than what you would find at your local grocery store, then buying in bulk is the more cost-effective way to shop. Just don’t go out and buy 2 lbs. of cheese unless you know you’ll eat it (though who wouldn’t, honestly?).

6. Use your freezer

Take advantage of buying more foods in bulk at a better price by storing lots of items in your freezer. They don’t just need to be conventional frozen foods; bread, nuts, berries and even hard cheeses can be stored for months until you’re ready to use them.

7. Buy generic store brands

Jennifer Kaplan, a professor of sustainable food systems at the Presidio Graduate School, previously told Yahoo Life that consumers have historically been more inclined to purchase generic grocery store brand versions of staple food products, such as canned soups and vegetables and nonperishable items like dry cereal and coffee. These items tend to be a lot cheaper than brand-name products — without sacrificing flavor.

8. Nix these items from your grocery list

Check out this list of unnecessary grocery items that you should stop buying, which could save you thousands of dollars a year. For example, instead of purchasing pre-cut, packaged fruits and vegetables, only buy whole produce that you can slice yourself. And don’t buy bottled water — it’s an unnecessary expense that’s full of microplastics; invest in a good water filtering system instead, which can save you money over time.

9. Don’t shop while you’re hungry

You’re more likely to make poor choices when grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Not only are you more inclined to buy additional items not on your list (one poll found that people spend an extra $26 when shopping while hungry), but you’ll also probably come home with more-unhealthy foods. A small 2013 study, for example, found that “hungry participants were more likely to buy high-calorie foods than those who’d had a small snack before shopping.”

10. Double-check your fridge and pantry before heading to the store

Do you really need more parsley, or do you have some hiding behind another herb jar in your kitchen cabinet? It may seem obvious, but taking stock of your current supply is an important way to keep from overspending by accidentally buying duplicate items that will only go bad before you have a chance to eat them.

11. Delegate your grocery list to ChatGPT

This money-saving trick, which TikToker Ejay Hernandez claims is “a lifesaver,” allows you to harness the power of AI for the good of your wallet. “Go into ChatGBT and you’re gonna say, ‘Make me a grocery list for this store,'” Hernandez says. “And you’re gonna say, ‘With a budget of, I’ll say, $70, that can make me three meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, for two weeks.” ChatGPT will then create a customized shopping list tailored to your needs and grocery store preferences. That can not only save you money, but also alleviate some of the mental gymnastics involved in meal-planning each week.

12. Don’t shop on the weekend

A former Whole Foods employee told Eat This, Not That that since most people do their food shopping over the weekend, prices are often higher on products like meat, but you’re more likely to find discounted protein on Mondays or Tuesdays. An added bonus: fewer crowds and more time to do fun stuff on Saturdays and Sundays.